Vapor electric apparatus.



G. 0. BASTIAN.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS. APPLIUATIOH EILED DEC. 5, 1913.

1 1 1 U? Patented Sept. 15, 19M.

WITNESSES & a ql/VI/ENTOB BY A fink- .1.4 a. m7

' ATTORNEY point the weakest in the mercury column or provement in the details of such a lamp, as

present, plated is I viding UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES ORME BASTIAN, OF LONDON. ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR '10 COOPER H EWITJ.

ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF HOIBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A COBPOBATION' 'OI' NEW JERSEY.

VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS. 1,110,607; .Speoiiication of Letters TaLtent. 1 Patented Sept, 15 1914.

1905, Serial No- 292,4B0. Divided and this application filed December original application filed December-19, I

' 5,1913. Serial No. 804.818.

small tube and the mercuryor otherwise revent 1t passm throu h the arc path durmg the operation of t e burner. The electrode b (which I have marked asthe negative electrode) is provided withan enlargement b while the other electrode a (which I have marked as the ositive electrode) is provided with a bulb for containing that part of the mercury which is displaced from the arc path when the burner is in operation. h is a projcation-advantageously glasswh1ch extends into the bore of the tube a near the negative electrode so as to reduce the cross-section of the bore of said tube a will fully appear hereinafter, at this point with the result that when the In accordance with the custom existing at burner is tilted to start the same this con- & 1 strlction will insure the mercury always sepsuch as is herein contemdescri ed as a burner, referring arat ng at the point It on starting up. nmore particularly to the luminous portion of d. of the projection h the tube a can be an apparatus of this type. conveniently constricted by drawing the iVhen a symmetrical column of mercury is 1 1 at any deslred point; and the said 1 1 fi d ithi (i, l l ro ectiOn h or the said constriction can'be placed or made at any suitable point.

rOun ed by.) an exhausted glass tube'of sym- Assuming that the burner is tilted until metrical b'ore, it exhibits a very considerable I amount of cohesion throughout its length he mer ury from the bulb d has filled the small bore tube a so as to complete the cir- (even if held vertically or thereabout) and cult from b to 0 and then the burner rewhen it is desired to separate such column at any given point, it is advantageous to restored to the pos1tion shown in the drawings strict the tube at that point z. e. render the or thereabout (by electrically operated column other than symmetrical at said oint mechanism or any other suitable means) and thereby the burner put in operation the or otherwise make such point the weakest point in the column of mercury; for in-- action is such that at the starting up of the he enlargement d stance I may interpose a device or p1ece of burner the mercury i t glass or any suitable material or draw out and the mercury at the negativeelectrode the glass tube at the desired oint to reduce will'be about the level shown. By the action th mercury o -s tion and o renderfthat of the electric current throughout the operation'of the apparatus mercury will tend to be transferred from the positive electrode to the negative electrode and consequently the mercury will tend to accumulate at the negative electrode and simultaneously diminish at the positive electrode and as this proceeds eventually the level of the mercury at the positive electrode will descend in the enlargement d and it will be obvious that a very much larger electrode surface is now presented than when said electrode was at the level shown and consequently the active electrode surface is brought so much the nearer to the general body of solid mercury in the bulb d and thus an increased cooling effect on the electrode surface is obtained while at the same time the active electrode surface is increased and thereby the heat To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES OnmaBas- TIAN, a subject of the Kin of Great Brita n, and resident of London, ngland, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improve?- ments in Vapor Electric Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. This-invention has for its object improvements in or relating to electric vapor apparatus especially electric lamps of the character known as electric vapor lamps or vapor arc lamps.

The present invention relates to an improduce this weakest point by proa head of mercury at such point.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawin which is a diagrammatic view-in side e evatio-n-partly in section of a burner showing the arrangement for producing differential heat radiating surfaces at the respective electrodes and varying cross-sectional area of the active electro e surface; and for constricting the bore of the tube at a favorable point.

Referring now ,more particularly to the drawing :a is the container tube which is of small bore (as shown in section) adapted to retain the unvaporized or un-ionized mercury within it b the pressure of the arc stream and sur ace tension between said I may condensation. As

taneously takesplace at the other electrode due to the .at or near this surface is diminished-wit the result that the temperature of the electrode falls and prevents loss by evaporization or even causes gain by the reverse action simula state of equilibrium is established between the amount'of mercury lost and gained by each electrode from whatever cause. It does not follow that this point of equilibrium will be reached exactly at the level of the mercury indicated in the drawing as aforesaid. but if the-burner be arranged so that the relative cooling eflect be increased at one electrode as the mercury is transferred from' that electrode then it will automatically arrive at the aforesaid point of equilibrium and thereafter continue so to operate.

It will be obvious that if desired and where suitable the current may be passed in reverse direction through the burner illus-. slmilar enlargement trated by providing a c at the negative electrode 0 thus enabling the burner to work with the current reversed. Therefore mercury displaced from one. electrode owing to the electric potential between the electrodes can be replaced withmercury displaced in the opposite direction owing to the difference in heat potential between the electrodes and by constructing the burner so as to utilize this discovery I am thereby enabled to establish and maintain constant quantities of electrode materal at each electrode respectively without the passage of solid mercury through the arc path. a

In the following claims the terms burner and mercury are (for the sake of brevity) respectively used to denote and include any suitable device and any suitable electrode material as hereinbefore defined or explained. I

This application is a division of my ap-' difference in p poses shall take place,

plication Serial Number 292,480, filed Dethe current is not flowing, there is a continuous column of mercury, and means for predetermining the point at which the rupture of the'said column for starting purposes shall take place.

3. .In a burner for vapor electric apparatus, mercury electrodes between which, when the current is not flowing, there is a continuous column of mercury, and means for predetermining the point at which the rupture of the said column for starting pursuch means consisting of a definitely located stricture of said vapor tube.

4. In a burner for vapor electric apparatus, mercury electrodes between which, when the current is not flowing, there is a con:

tinuous column of mercury, and means for predetermining the point at which the rupture of the said column for starting purposes shall take place, a definitely located stricture of said vapor tube, the stricture itself being formed by the insertion of a piece of glass-or other material, as indicated.

Signed at London in the county of London, England, this 18th day of November A. D. 1913. v

CHARLES ORME BAS TIAN. Witnesses:

TRACY LAY,

O. J. WORTH.

such means consisting of 

